Real-Time Monitoring
Real-time monitoring and warning system for all of TVA’s coal ash facilities
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The Challenge
- TVA Kingston Plant spill (2008)
- Cleanup costs billions
- Risk monitoring program implemented
Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) experienced a failure at one of their at the Kingston Fossil Plant in 2008 that resulted in the spillage of 5.4 million cubic yards of coal ash up and down the Clinch and Emory Rivers. The event has cost TVA billions of dollars in cleanup costs and additional damage claims. TVA is working diligently to clean up the land and water in the area affected by the ash spill and has implemented major risk monitoring programs for their higher risk facilities in the area.
This program consists of engineering assessments to determine potential failure modes, definition of factors that could be monitored to help detect an impending failure, selection of locations and types of sensors that could give early warnings of unacceptable performance and contingency plans to invoke when the observations and monitoring data indicates that action is needed.
The Solution
Geocomp developed and implemented a real-time monitoring and warning system for its high-risk coal ash facilities. This program consisted of engineering assessments to determine potential failure modes, definition of factors that could be monitored to help detect an impending failure, selection of locations and types of sensors that could give early warnings of unacceptable performance, and contingency plans to invoke when the observations and monitoring data indicates that action is needed.
iSiteCentral®, our web-based data and information management system, collects data from sensors and compares the recorded values with allowable limits. Alert messages, processed data, and other information are provided across TVA’s network in real-time to allow TVA’s risk management team to stay informed and react quickly if a threatening event occurs. A specific application of this system allows TVA to monitor heavy rains over each waste storage facility to determine when conditions warrant releasing excess storm water to the river. Regulations permit such a release without penalty to avoid potential failure. The system is working so well that TVA is using to help manage risk for their dam and environmental well programs. Geocomp also assists TVA in developing risk-based approaches for the design of closure facilities in order to retire these waste storage facilities safely.
